Greek Chickpea Soup

This light, cozy lemony Greek chickpea soup is made in one pot with zucchini, carrots, garbanzo beans, and fresh herbs. It's high protein, healthy, vegan, and gluten-free. The perfect under-30-minute weeknight dinner!

5 from 20 votes

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Prep Time 5

Cook Time 25

Total Time 30

Serving servings

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 - 3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
2 large celery ribs, chopped
1 medium zucchini, cut into half-moons
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried thyme
¾ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp crushed red pepper, optional for spice
1 tsp salt, more to taste
½ tsp black pepper
2 cans (15-ounces) of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, or chicken broth
3 - 4 cups baby spinach
¼ cups fresh parsley, chopped
1 large lemon, juiced
Optional garnishes: fresh parsley, feta cheese, or parmesan cheese

Instructions

Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Add the diced onion and cook for 3-5 minutes until it turns translucent.
Add the chopped carrots, celery, and zucchini, and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Stir in the minced garlic, dried thyme, dried oregano, crushed red pepper (if using), salt, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute until the garlic becomes fragrant.
Add the chickpeas and vegetable broth. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for 20-30 minutes.
Carefully transfer 1 - 2 cups of the soup (broth + chickpeas) to a blender and pulse a few times. Avoid adding the zucchini or celery, but carrots and onions are fine. This step helps thicken the soup naturally. If you don't have a blender, mash 1 cup of the chickpeas with a fork and add it back to the soup. You can also pulse an immersion blender 5 - 10 times.
Return the blended mixture back to the pot and stir it. You still want whole chickpeas in the soup, so do not blend everything.
Add the chopped spinach, fresh parsley, and lemon juice. Cook for another 1-2 minutes until the spinach wilts.
Serve warm, garnished with a sprinkle of fresh parsley. Optionally, you can also add some feta cheese on top.

Notes

Variations: There are over 10 variations listed in the blog post above. I love adding orzo, coconut milk, olives, or tomato.

Use a fork if you don’t have a blender: If you don’t have a blender, you can use a fork to mash 1 cup of chickpeas before adding them to the soup in step 5. If you don’t have a blender, you can use a fork to mash 1 cup of chickpeas before adding them to the soup in step 5.

Adding Chicken or Turkey: Adding cooked ground chicken or ground turkey is a great way to add more protein to this meal. To do this, add the raw ground meat in with the onions and use a wooden spoon to break it up as it cooks. Then, continue on with the recipe as instructed.

Dried Chickpeas: You can also use dried chickpeas for this soup; however, you must plan ahead. Please don’t add them straight to the soup! You must soak dried chickpeas overnight in water for at least 8-10 hours until they are softer and double in size.

Substituting Chickpeas: White beans are the best substitute for chickpeas, followed by kidney beans and green lentils.

Storing: Place leftovers into one large or individual airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for 4 – 5 days.

Reheating: For best results, place the soup in a microwave-safe bowl and reheat for 30 – 90 seconds until warm. You can also reheat by adding the soup to a large pot on the stovetop on low, stirring intermittently until warm.

Nutrition

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine Greek, Healthy, Mediterranean

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Please leave a comment and star rating on this post and tag @HealthfulBlondie on Instagram & hashtag it #healthfulblondie!